To evaluate the health of your kidneys to help diagnose kidney disease to monitor treatment for kidney disease Specimen:A blood sample drawn from a vein in your arm and or a 24-hour urine sample When To Get Tested: Routinely as part of a comprehensive or basic metabolic panel when your have signs and symptoms that may be due to kidney disease or damage or when you have a condition that may affect your kidneys and or be worsened by kidney dysfunction at intervals to monitor treatment for kidney disease or kidney function while on certain medications Test Preparation:You may be instructed to fast overnight or refrain from eating cooked meat some studies have shown that eating cooked meat prior to testing can temporarily increase the level of creatinine Normal Test Result: 0.84 milligrams per deciliter to 1.21 milligrams per deciliter (74.3 to 107 micromoles per liter), although this can vary from lab to lab, between men and women, and by age

To determine whether you have an infection of your digestive tract due to disease-causing pathogenic bacteria parasites or viruses Specimen:A fresh stool sample collected in a clean container the stool sample should not be contaminated with urine or water once it has been collected the stool should either be taken to the laboratory within two hours after collection or transferred into special transport vials containing preservative solutions When To Get Tested: When you have signs and symptoms such as diarrhea abdominal cramps nausea and or vomiting when you have blood or mucus in your loose stools Test Preparation:None Normal Test Result: A blood sugar level less than 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L) is normal

To screen for and help diagnose thyroid disorders to monitor treatment of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism Specimen:A blood sample drawn from a vein in your arm or from pricking the heel of an infant When To Get Tested: For screening Newborn screening is widely recommended however there is no consensus within the medical community as to the age adult screening should begin or whether screening should be done For monitoring treatment as directed by your healthcare provider Otherwise when a person has symptoms of hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism and or an enlarged thyroid Test Preparation:None needed however certain medications can interfere with the TSH test so tell your health practitioner about any drugs that you are taking If you take thyroid hormone as treatment for thyroid disease it is recommended that your blood sample be drawn before you take your dose for that day Normal Test Result: from 0.4 mIU/L to 4.0 mIU/L for those with no symptoms of an under- or over-active thyroid

To screen for or monitor liver disorders or hemolytic anemia to monitor neonatal jaundice Specimen:In adults a blood sample drawn from a vein in the arm in newborns a blood sample from a heelstick non-invasive technology is available in some healthcare facilities that will measure bilirubin by using an instrument placed on the skin transcutaneous bilirubin meter When To Get Tested: When you have signs or symptoms of liver damage liver disease bile duct blockage hemolytic anemia or a liver-related metabolic problem or if a newborn has jaundice Test Preparation:You may need to fast nothing but water for several hours before the test fasting requirements vary by laboratory ask your lab or healthcare provider for instructions Normal Test Result: less than 0.3 mg/dL (less than 5.1 µmol/L) Total bilirubin: 0.1 to 1.2 mg/dL (1.71 to 20.5 µmol/L)